I’m ranting about mean girls (while weeping for Phoebe Prince) and revealing my fear of ice skating (Thanks Damien!) over at New England Mamas today.
Would love for you to stop by and visit.
FollowNo room at the inn: why it sucks to travel with a party of five
January 25, 2010
In my neighborhood, most of the younger families have three kids. Many of my kids’ friends have two siblings. I’ve joked that “five is the new four“.
But, as my fellow families of five have no doubt discovered, finding a hotel room when you have three kids sucks.
On our last trip to Disney, we rented a house for part of our vacation but decided to stay “on campus” for the second half. Our options, like our budget, were limited. Within our price range, we could purchase two rooms in the Pop Century hotels, but they couldn’t guarantee they would be adjoining rooms which wasn’t something I could risk with a 4, 5 and 7 year old. (“If you need mommy and daddy, just open your door, walk down the hallway five doors, and knock.”)
The other affordable option we had was to book a room at Port Orleans Riverside whose rooms have a trundle bed tucked under one of the doubles. We went this route as the price was right. Our 7 year old slept on the trundle, but within a couple of years, all of my kids will be too big to sleep on that little mattress.
On other trips, we’ve stayed at Staybridge Suites or Marriott Courtyards which have two bedrooms, a kitchenette and sitting area. I heard from Kristen at Motherhood Uncensored that her family of five stayed at the Embassy Suites in Puerto Rico.
In both our cases, we’ve been very happy with the layout, space and facilities, but it makes me wonder how “regular” hotels are going to accommodate the families who are outgrowing their standard two-bed rooms.
Oh well, there’s always camping. Our giant two-room tent sleeps five no problem.
Lucy
January 21, 2010
“Can I touch her?“, he asks about our new pet.
The smile on his face as he watches her move around our house is one of wonder, of happiness. He laughs and laughs and laughs. He chases her around the room, then runs the opposite way when her little brushes come for him.
She doesn’t bark or meow. She hums.
And best of all, she doesn’t shed on the rug. In fact, quite the opposite.
Meet Lucy. Our Roomba. We love her.
(note: Lucy was a Christmas gift from my mom—ok, FTC? The Roomba pictured is actually Lucy II. Lucy I was originally named Jeeves because I wanted a male robot. But, then Issa warned me that her first two Roombas, both named after men, died too soon, but her third, a woman, has lasted years. I quickly changed Jeeves to Lucy, but it was too late. His/her brushes stopped working shortly thereafter and he/she was replaced with Lucy II. I learned my lesson.)
